Why should we detox and how can we do it around the home?
The average women carries more than 120 chemicals every day when she steps outside of the house, due to a combination of food she eats, that may contain herbicides, GMO and pesticides, household cleaning products, pollution and skincare products, whereas the average human placenta, so what your baby feeds off, contains more than 200! These are astonishing figures which can directly impact on not just your ability to become pregnant, but also your baby’s health. In addition, epigenetic studies are showing us that possible effects of our environment could have an impact on the genetic programming of eggs and sperm and therefore leave a lasting impact on future generations of babies that are born. So the effects are not just on your personal health and fertility, but also potentially transgenerational!
What a lot of people don’t realise is that the work needed to have a baby starts months and even years before you actually technically should start trying. This is because it can take some time to make lasting changes and see the benefits, especially as fertile health is regulated by hormones, and these can require some time to reach a perfect balance, in particular if they’ve been affected by external toxins. This isn’t about a fad, but instead about a lifestyle approach to fertile health that will also be of benefit to your weight, as a side effect of detoxing is also potential weight loss!
When we talk about detoxing, we mean trying to limit exposure to any harmful substances in our direct environment, and instead focus on alternatives that are as clean and natural as possible. But this isn’t about being perfect! In fact, it’s not possible to be totally chemical free and organic in the world we live in. But each one of us can make sustainable, conscientious changes on a regular basis, and little by little, it will start to get easier, you’ll start to have fun with it, you’ll wonder how you ever used or ate products full of nasties in the past, and you’ll start to feel and appear healthier! Don’t worry about doing it all at once, or that you can’t afford it! There are so many good affordable natural options out there now, and even if you just change one thing a week, build on that. All these small changes will accumulate to make a lasting difference. However you do it and however long it takes, you’ve started, and that’s what counts! So here we go, my top tips for changing your home environment!
Personal Care, Toileteries and Make Up in the Bathroom
Did you know that an average product from one of the above contains multiple hormone or endocrine disruptors? And did you know that this could potentially affect multiple systems in our body and contribute to lower sperm counts, endometriosis, polycystic ovaries, metabolic problems and obesity? So what can we do to help:
– Simplify your products and clear out any clutter you don’t need. Focus on the essentials and replace the synthetic fragranced ones with natural, plastic free versions that are better for you. Try and also get products that use an alternative to plastic packaging. This includes moisturisers, perfume, shampoo and conditioner and body wash.
– Go for a natural deodorant, that is free from toxic metals.
– Did you realise that your period protection could also be affecting you? Replace your current pads or tampons with organic pure cotton ones, or use silicone menstrual cups. Also try washable and reusable period pants and pads, they’re all the rage now!
– Go for Epsom bath salts which are natural, rather than synthetic fragranced bubble baths, and reap the benefits of a nice long soak, along with the magnesium, that relieves muscle tension and stress, important when looking to conceive. Also use a dry body brush before bathing, to help draw out impurities and toxins from the body.
– Try and avoid nail polish and instead buff and file you nails
– There are so many new great clean and green beauty brands out there. Try out a few and see what suits you, and have fun doing it!
– Try making your own deodorant or face mask or even soap! There are some really simple techniques you can follow, and I’ll be sharing the recipes over the next few days with you!
The Kitchen:
This is such an important place in the house because it’s where we prepare our food, and anything that can leach chemicals on our food, like plastic, is something you’re going to be eating, so be mindful of that and start with some basic changes:
-Ensure that as soon as you enter your home, you take off your shoes, as that way you will prevent any contaminants from the street spreading around your home.
– Use naturally based cleaning products or make your own. You can create your own cleaner with nothing more than just water and sodium bicarbonate and vinegar, with a couple of drops of essential oil added fro fragrance! If you don’t fancy that, there are so many great eco ranges out there now, that there’s really no excuse!
– Replace your washing powder and fabric softener for eco friendly natural alternative ones
– Get rid of plastic containers and replace with glass ones.
– Avoid aluminium pots and pans.
– Avoid plastic utensils and non stick pans that are coated in nasty chemicals.
– Replace products with glass, wood or stainless steel.
– A water filter is a must. Water contains multiple residues and chemicals when not treated and so investing in a good filter, ideally one that’s glass is best. You can even go further and invest in a filter for the whole house, to ensure that the water you shower with is also toxic free.
– Stop using plastic bags when shopping.
– If you can’t avoid buying products in plastic, make sure you buy the large versions as quite often, the container can at least be recycled, and you’re minimising waste from this.
– Ditch the cling film and replace with beeswax or silicone wraps or covers.
– Opt for natural wooden flooring.
– Clean your house regularly.
– Dust with a natural fibre microcloth.
In the Bedroom:
We spend so much time in the bedroom, and this is after all the most important room for baby making, so it’s really worth investing in! Here are some tips:
– Choose a wooden bed frame with natural stains and waxes
– Invest in a mattress made out of natural latex or other natural materials, or get a natural mattress topper if you can’t afford a new mattress.
– Opt for natural fibre bed linen and sheets and wash weekly.
– Pillows and quilts should be wool, latex or cruelty free feather down, also newer versions are buckwheat and hemp fibre.
– Declutter your bedroom making way for good purified air to flow.
– Get all electronics out of the room, including TVs and phones.
– Dust every week.
– Open the window regularly to allow fresh air to flow into the room.
– Make sure you have effective blinds or curtains to achieve complete darkness in the room.
– Consider investing in an alternative to the regular screeching alarm on your phone or radio, that allows you to wake up to natural light and is much healthier on your body.
– Ditch all the synthetic candles and air fresheners from the house and use candles made out of natural ingredients, with a non toxic wick. Replace air fresheners with essential oils or plants in the house, which will help to keep the air pure.
So there you have it! Some of my top tips for detoxing around your home, that will hopefully make a lasting difference to your wellbeing, fertility, and baby’s health too.
